By drums (63.242.208.176) on Monday, November 25, 2002 - 11:40 am: |
Hello all out in Soulful Detroit Land,
I have a question reg the Song "Mighty Love"
I know that Bobby Eli was one of the musicians that played on the track. Who were the rest? Also which recording studio was this done? And lastly, Did Phillipe Wynne Ad Lib the lyrics and the outro? I have listened to this song for inspiration and it always makes me feel great whenever it comes on!
Any help would be appreciated!
THX
Daren Metz
By PhillyGroove (205.188.209.38) on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 06:52 pm: |
Thanks for asking these questions about The Spinners. They remain my all time favorite act. I'd love to hear replies from those who know, and any additional info about MFSB.
PhillyGroove
By Ralph (209.240.198.62) on Tuesday, November 26, 2002 - 10:07 pm: |
I'm sure Bobby will answer these questions as soon as he can. He recently moved and he has been in the studio extensively. He called me the other night to touch bases and said he would be on the forum soon.
By HW (63.240.219.152) on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 01:24 am: |
I put together the 2-CD Spinners compilation on Atlantic. While Bobby can fill in much more, I recall specifically breaking down the tunes on paper, talking to the guys to better understand the music, and recognizing that "Mighty Love" was written to purposely take advantage of Philippe's ad-lib skills. It's really custom-built for him: it's two, two-and-a-half minutes written out, then the rest is 'ad-lib to fade.'
By PhilH (203.221.55.154) on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 03:04 am: |
Hi all,
Here (hopefully!) is a link to the All Music Guide page for the MIGHTY LOVE CD reissue on Rhino, which confirms Bobby Eli and the rest of the MFSB crew as the musicians. Studio was Sigma Sound in Philly, of course, recorded probably December 1973 according to Michel Ruppli's Atlantic Records discography.
Phil
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=SEARCH&sql=Abl5j8qctbtn4
By skip (209.69.165.10) on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 09:43 am: |
hey why bobby eli,gamble & huff thom bell have not been inducted to the hall of fame let me know
By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 11:32 am: |
Skip:
Good question...If anyone who should've been inducted by now it should be G&H.
KevGo
By skip (12.2.196.17) on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 - 03:22 pm: |
what about thom bell also the late great linda creed who wrote some of the greatest lyrics of all tlme skip
By Phillysoulman (64.12.97.7) on Thursday, November 28, 2002 - 03:09 am: |
The musicians on Mighty Love and before, as well most of the other Atlantic sessions produced by Thom Bell were as follows.
Earl Young-Drums
Ronnie Baker-Bass
Bobby Eli and Norman Harris-Guitars
Vince Montana- Vibes
Larry Washington- Congas and bongos
Thom Bell- Keyboards
On Love Don't Love Love Nobody, Rubberband Man, Sadie and all of the songs following the Mighty Love album the musicians were as follows.
Andrew Smith- Drums
Bob Babbitt- Bass
Bobby Eli, Norman Haris and Bill Neale- Guitars
Ed Shea-Vibes
Larry Washington- Congas and bongos
Thom Bell- Keyboards
Don Renaldo and his strings and horns appear on all sessions.
Most sessions were recorded in studio one at Sigma although some later songs were recorded at Sound Labs in L.A. but not the hits.
The second group of musicians were flown in to do those sessions.
By Caleb (209.244.233.96) on Friday, November 29, 2002 - 07:34 pm: |
Bobby,wasn't Tony Bell a part of the second set of musicians you listed here?
By Eli (205.188.209.38) on Friday, November 29, 2002 - 09:53 pm: |
Caleb,
Tony Bell did do some sessions with us, mostly the sessions in L.A. and Seattle as he was living in Seattle at the time.
Tony had some psychological problems which prevented him from expanding his scope as he felt that he was playing second fiddle to Thom, although he was a good guitarist and arranger.
He was only on the later Thom Bell sessions and some Young Professionals things, but not a full fledged member of MFSB.
By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, November 29, 2002 - 09:59 pm: |
I had to pull out my 45s: "The Mighty Love" pts. 1 & 2, and "TSOP" reverse "Something For Nothing."
Sis
By Heikki (194.251.240.105) on Saturday, November 30, 2002 - 02:35 am: |
Hi!
If you allow a small plug here, in the Soul Express magazine (http://www.soulexpress.net) there's an on-going Spinners story. In the first part, covering the period from 1954 till 1963 (including the Tri-Phi years), there are comments not only from Billy Henderson, Henry Fambrough, Pervis Jackson, Bobbie Smith, but also Chico Edwards and George Dixon.
In the second part (The Motown years, 1964-70) there are also special profiles on C.P.Spencer and G.C.Cameron.
The third part, the Thom Bell years, will come out next spring.
Best regards
Heikki
By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.26) on Saturday, November 30, 2002 - 10:12 am: |
Hi Heikki,
Welcome aboard - nice to have a Finn on
this increasingly world-wide forum.
By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Saturday, November 30, 2002 - 04:06 pm: |
Hello Heikki, good to see you over here. (Did you get the new recording yet by the Drams?)
By drums (63.242.208.176) on Monday, December 02, 2002 - 09:51 am: |
Hello all again!
Thank you for answering my questions! My only other question is how in the world does the band sound so completely different than the other songs that they have done for the other MFSB artists?!
My ears are not sophisticated enough to have known that the same band that recorded the Spinners is the same band that recorded SO MANY other great artists!!
maybe it is just me......
Also, what is the name of the song that the Spinners did on the movie soundtrack for the Muhammad Ali/George Foreman fight documentary? I love that track (especially the drums!) If anyone knows who the musicians are (my man Paulie 3 Shoes knows! ;))
Thanks for all of the great info on this board!
Daren Metz
By Heikki (194.251.240.105) on Monday, December 02, 2002 - 11:25 am: |
Hi SisDetroit!
This really is a good forum with qualified and enthusiastic members, even professional ones.
No, I still haven't got the new Dramatics cd. It didn't arrive today, either, and we only have this week to go till the next dead-line. I know it was mailed to me almost three weeks ago, but if there's "air", "surface" and "turtle", I guess mine is on the last wagon. The last thing to do is somebody to play it for me over the phone and send the sleeve-notes by fax. Only after that shall I be able to interview Ron Banks.
Best regards
Heikki
By Caleb (64.157.65.128) on Monday, December 02, 2002 - 12:48 pm: |
Darin,I believe that song the Spinners did on that movie was "I'm Comin' Home".
By 1wicked (64.32.154.94) on Thursday, December 05, 2002 - 03:42 pm: |
Well Drums.....the only constants with MFSB were (most of) the players and the quality of the output. Being the consummate professionals...they were able to jump from artist to artist & lay down the best grooves for that particular session. (Though it doesn't seem "natural" that the same guys playing a Blue Magic session could be the same guys rockin' "Bad Luck" LOL).
By cleoharvey (160.79.83.208) on Thursday, December 05, 2002 - 04:15 pm: |
Listen to the the live version of Mighty Love on the Spinners live album. It is one of the most incredible live arrangements and performances that I have ever heard. I believe that Maurice King is the conductor and the Sigma Sound back-up ladies (Sweethearts of) are included. Absolutely smokin......!!!!
By Livonia Ken (136.2.1.101) on Thursday, December 05, 2002 - 05:00 pm: |
Caleb is right. It was "I'm Coming Home". The title of the film was "When We Were Kings", and it is a great documentary. Right up there with SitSoM in terms of being both entertaining and informative.
Regards,
Ken
By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Thursday, December 05, 2002 - 06:21 pm: |
Cleo - I may as well have my son bring my boxes of old LP's into the den so I won't have to go to the cellar. (Although I do need the exercise.) (LOL)
Sis
By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 11:26 am: |
SisDetroit:
I'm shocked! A stone-cold lover of soul music keeps her records in the cellar! :-)
The last place vinyl LPs should be is in a cellar or basement (potential flooding & water damage can ruin vinyl).
Get 'em out & fire up the turntable (unless that's in the basement, too...LOL).
Regards,
Kevin Goins - "KevGo"
By drums (63.242.208.176) on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 12:04 pm: |
Hello all again!!
Thank you for all of the wonderful correspondence on my crazy questions about the Spinners! I do have another question. Who was responsible for putting the rythym section for MFSB together? Did the guys all grow up together? Producers brought in their favorite guys they used previously and it was a wonderful accident? Preplanned?
Thanks in advance!!
Daren
By SisDetroit (68.42.209.170) on Friday, December 06, 2002 - 01:01 pm: |
KevGo - Everytime I rearrange things in the house, I have to get them out of the way. The LP's are up and down all the time. I had to throw away a box of 45's. I guess I could have scanned the labels. But I didn't know how important the labels were until I met DMiekle, Ritchie, and Graham. At your advise, I will keep my records near me from now on.